The Chef's Culinary Tour of Boston

Boston’s Fenway neighborhood has been doing some soul searching recently. Every few weeks, there’s a new bar, restaurant, or high-rise residence, making it increasingly difficult to figure out who’s winning the battle to define the neighborhood’s identity. Is it the Red Sox fans who flood the ballpark come Opening Day? Or, is it the city’s foodies who make their way down Boylston in pursuit of Tiffani Faison’s nostalgia-inducing fried chicken (at Sweet Cheeks Q) or some seriously indulgent noodles (at Tiger Mama)?

Much like the vibe of her adjacent restaurants, Tiffani herself is warm, approachable, and humble about her own talent, despite being named a James Beard semi-finalist for Best Chef: Northeast this year and having been a finalist on Top Chef’s first season. Her guide to Boston’s culinary and cultural offerings reflects an unabashed appreciation for the city’s roots.

In the kitchen at Faison's Fenway restaurant, Sweet Cheeks. Photo by @floraberny.

How would you describe Boston’s culinary scene to an outsider?

I’d call it emerging and proprietary. Boston is such an interesting town to look in on, especially as an outsider. Most people are looking for lobster rolls and whatever chowder, but if you’re into food, you’re coming here to experience what chefs are doing, like, who’s pushing the boundaries and doing something really different. Chefs in Boston are always trying to see how much we can get away with. It’s not an easy process, though; you have to go slow and earn people’s trust, and then once you’ve earned that trust, you can start taking them on whatever journey you want. But you cannot go on a journey by yourself in this city. Plus, it’s more fun to bring people along for the ride and let them watch you progress and grow.

It wouldn't be the Fenway neighborhood without Fenway Park. Photo by @ rauuuuul35.

As a business-owner in the Fenway area, how have you seen the neighborhood change over the last few years?

Of all the neighborhoods in Boston, when you think chowder and hot dogs, you think Fenway. And yeah, it absolutely does (and should) have that because of the baseball stadium—there will always be sports bars for people who want beer and chicken wings, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But the diversity of this community has let us really grow beyond that, whether it’s the artists or the businesses here. The dichotomy in Fenway is crazy: You’ve got people who are pushing the limits, and then people making things that feel really familiar. If you’re traveling up Boylston Street, you have Eventide, Tiger Mama, and Hojoko—all restaurants that are pushing the limits. When you walk the other way, it’s Cask and Flagon and the whole pub scene. It’s kind of a tale of two cities, which is a perfect indicator of where we’re heading.

If you could live in any neighborhood in the city, which would it be and why?

I live in and love JP (Jamaica Plain). I don’t want to leave JP. The sense of community here is really awesome—people still look out for each other and take care of each other. There’s no other place that feels quite like it, to me. I think that there’s a sweet spot between being a full-service neighborhood and then gentrifying over time—JP balances both perfectly.

My wife Kelly is a cocktail nerd while I tend to live on the wine spectrum of things. We love haley.henry and we’re very happy about its sister spot, Nathalie, opening up in Fenway soon. We also like Eastern Standard, which is up and over the hill and really easy to get to. If we’re in JP, sometimes we’ll stop at Tres Gatos for a glass of wine or sherry. If we’re down or dirty, the answer is Galway House. It’s a beloved dive bar. My advice: go get the seafood plate or a baked potato, and absolutely ask for extra butter and sour cream. The fried clams are also amazing here.

Some of the best pizza in Boston can be found at Pizzeria Regina. Photo by @beerandracing.

What does a date night look like for you?

If I get my way, it looks like a movie. I’m so bougie when it comes to going to the movies—I’m really into theaters with the reclining seats. If we’re not doing a movie, we might stay in and do takeout from Shanti in Dorchester, which is my favorite Indian food in the city. Another good option is Pizzeria Regina, but absolutely only at their restaurant in the North End. It’s truly charming and the wine goes great with their pizza. If we’re venturing far from home, we love to stop by Sarma in Somerville for dinner. For a sophisticated night, we really like the bar at Mooo, and we just had a beautiful dinner for Kelly’s mom at Les Sablons in Harvard Square—it’s such a cool building and vibe.

We recently did a pastry run around the city. Renae Connolly does this dessert at Benedetto and it is the most incredible thing. It’s like Doctor Seuss’s workshop on a plate—it’s technicolor and fun and whimsical to look at. I started to eat and I was like, ”Jesus Christ, this is ridiculous.” It’s called the Triple Fruit Spumone.

Fresh produce is in abundance at the Copley Square Farmers Market. Photo by @lizzietillo.

Where do you like to grocery shop?

In the winter, I’ll head to Ming’s Supermarket (an incredible Chinese grocery store) in the South End. In the summertime, I prefer the Copley Square Farmer’s Market, which is open every day of the week from mid-May all the way until about Thanksgiving.

The Athenaeum, which is one of the oldest libraries in the country. I’ve done some catering for them for a while now, and it’s just an incredible spot. It’s five or six floors, and they have so much to offer, like Thomas Jefferson’s private library and some John Singer Sargent paintings. You can also check out books if you’re a member. More young people need to go—I’m making a plug for this. You can even go in your sweats. Just go.

Bagelsaurus is a Boston staple for bagel lovers. Photo by @nicolealper.

Where's the best place to grab breakfast?

Bagelsaurus. It’s a serious hike from us, but I don’t do bagel sandwiches very often. When if I do, though, I get the Hot Smoked (smoked salmon, cream cheese, and pickled red cabbage). I also love Sofra out in Belmont.

Brunch is served at Faison's Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant, Tiger Mama. Photo by @tigermamabos.

Favorite thing to do in the city when it gets warm outside?

Oh, definitely taking my pup out for a walk in the Arnold Arboretum. We can literally walk there from our apartment, it’s so close. Otherwise, I’m all for enjoying cocktails out on a roofdeck. If I’m being totally honest, I love the Barking Crab! It’s so much fun, and it’s so casual and delicious. You just gotta order the right stuff, which means being willing to spend a little bit more. I’d recommend the calamari, fish and chips, or doing a clambake.

If you could only make one dish from either of your two restaurants until the end of time, which would it be and why?

This is... this is a tough one. I’m not picking one. I’m doing a three-way tie. I’d probably say the biscuits from Sweet Cheeks, because you start with just a few raw ingredients and then you get something magical really quickly. Fried chicken, because if I were forced to make fried chicken every day, I would hope that I’d nail the world’s greatest fried chicken within a year. And lastly, something over the wok at Tiger Mama.

What's one thing you'd really miss about Boston if you ever left?

The joy of spring—the sheer and utter joy of spring. I’m originally from California and people on that side of the country just don’t appreciate the joy of making it to spring after a long, hard winter out here. It feels like the entire city holds hands and powers through, and when you get there, people are smiling and really, genuinely happy. Making it through a Boston winter feels like a serious accomplishment. Patios open, people are outside. You really appreciate the season.

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